Police: Stamford woman killed in Lione Park shooting was bystander

From left to right, Jhonel Telemin, Deshawn Hayes and Morris Joel Moore Jr. were charged in connection to a Stamford slaying Monday night.

From left to right, Jhonel Telemin, Deshawn Hayes and Morris Joel Moore Jr. were charged in connection to a Stamford slaying Monday night.

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From left to right, Jhonel Telemin, Deshawn Hayes and Morris Joel Moore Jr. were charged in connection to a Stamford slaying Monday night.

From left to right, Jhonel Telemin, Deshawn Hayes and Morris Joel Moore Jr. were charged in connection to a Stamford slaying Monday night.

Police: Stamford woman killed in Lione Park shooting was bystander

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STAMFORD — Police say the city woman who was killed in a brazen shooting in Lione Park on Nov. 2 was a mother of five and an innocent bystander.

Maxine Gooden, 43, had been chatting with her daughter and friends when she was shot in the upper torso around 10 p.m. in the city's West side neighborhood.

Gooden's death marks the third homicide of the year in Stamford.

"It's tremendously sad, a senseless homicide," said Capt. Richard Conklin. "She (Gooden) lived nearby, a few blocks away and was standing in between some cars talking to family and friends. We don't know the root cause for the shooting, but everyone who speaks of her doesn't have a bad thing to say about her."

Conklin said startled witnesses, including a couple of men playing soccer, chased the suspects and saw them get into a waiting black Jeep on Delaware Avenue.

As a result, the witnesses were able to inform police of the make and model of the car, along with a license plate number.

The quick thinking of the witnesses led police to three suspects -- Jhonel Telemin, 21, of 116 Lafayette St., who has been identified as the shooter and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder; Deshawn Hayes, 24, of 87 Givens Ave., charged with conspiracy to commit murder and Morris Joel Moore Jr., 23, of 276 Cove Road, charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

All three suspects were arraigned on Nov. 3 at Stamford Superior Court, where they were each ordered held in lieu of a $1 million bond. The suspects are scheduled to return to court on Dec. 2.

"We have two complete strangers who are not attached to the woman (Gooden) and who weren't armed that chased the suspects down and provided information," Conklin said. "That's rare. They put themselves in great danger."

Conklin said the Jeep in which the suspects were riding in contained a round of the same ammunition allegedly used in the shooting, compared with shell casings found at the scene.

Conklin said there was a report of a shooting on the city's East Side near Ursula Place shortly before the shooting at Lione Park, which is being eyed as a possible retaliation.

In addition to Gooden being shot, who was rushed to Stamford Hospital and died a short time later, police say at least two additional rounds were fired, which struck a nearby apartment building.

One of the bullets was found lodged on the outside of the building, while the other entered an apartment, narrowly missing the occupants.

Police say Telemin was previously arrested in Norwalk in May of this year for car theft, while Morris and Hayes both have convictions for assault.